Providence

Today, at the 3rd Russia-Africa Summit plenary session in Moscow, I called upon our great continent to wake up to its immense potential. We are blessed with vast natural resources, the world’s youngest and most energetic population, and a rapidly expanding market. It is time to fully leverage these assets to drive our own development and secure economic independence. Drawing lessons from our partners like Russia, Africa must move away from over-reliance and instead build resilient, self-sustaining economies. Crucial to this economic transformation is stronger regional integration and the robust development of global value chains. By prioritizing intra-African trade, we can seamlessly connect our markets and strengthen our collective participation in international trade. Zimbabwe and Africa are ready to innovate, integrate, industrialize, and claim our rightful place on the global stage.

It is always a pleasure to meet and interact with the brilliant young minds representing our great nation abroad. Yesterday, while in Russia for the third Russia-Africa Summit, I took the opportunity to continue our tradition of engaging with Zimbabwean students studying away from home. Our students are the true ambassadors of Zimbabwe. During our heartfelt exchange at the Embassy in Moscow, I was deeply impressed by their dedication to academic excellence, especially in critical fields like engineering, medicine, science, and cutting-edge technology. We had an open and constructive discussion where they raised important points regarding mutual recognition of qualifications, safety, and the availability of funds to propel start-ups. I reassured them that the Second Republic remains fully committed to supporting their welfare and creating a thriving environment for them. As we march towards achieving an empowered, upper-middle-income society through Vision 2030, our goal is to integrate these highly skilled young specialists directly into our local production value chains. I urged them to focus on their studies, absorb global innovations, and ultimately bring that knowledge back home to build the Zimbabwe we all want.

On the sidelines of the 3rd Russia-Africa Summit in Moscow, I held highly productive engagements with PSB Bank and Rossotrudnichestvo. Zimbabwe remains open for business. Backed by a robust 8.3% economic growth rate, we are deepening our practical partnerships in trade, investment, and strategic financing. We are translating political goodwill into tangible projects by proposing a joint technical working group with PSB Bank, the Ministry of Finance, and the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe to drive trade finance. We also continue to track BRICS developments on national payment systems. Beyond economics, our bilateral friendship remains firmly anchored on human-capital development. With over 1,000 Zimbabwean students studying at Russian universities in critical fields like sciences, medicine, and technology, we are securing our nation's future.

I have safely arrived in Moscow, Russia, ahead of the third Russia-Africa Summit and Economic Forum. Over the next few days, we will engage in critical high-level discussions centered on our shared priorities under the theme "For Peace, Security, and Development." Our participation focuses on securing tangible benefits for our nation—driving economic diversification, boosting industrial trade, and creating sustainable jobs for our youth. Through mutual respect and win-win partnerships, we aim to accelerate growth in key sectors, including energy, food security, digital transformation, and technology.

As we successfully conclude the 25th COMESA Summit here in Harare, I want to express my deepest gratitude to all the Heads of State, Government representatives, and delegates. Your spirit of solidarity, cooperation, and unity of purpose made our deliberations a resounding success. During our discussions, we firmly agreed on immediate priority areas to accelerate our collective growth. Chief among these is deepening market integration and the decisive removal of both tariff and non-tariff barriers. If we are to build truly resilient economies, COMESA member states must cultivate a culture of trading among ourselves first. Our local resources must drive our local prosperity. As the incoming Chairman of this great regional bloc, I recognize that the true measure of our success lies in the impact of our outcomes. The responsibility now rests upon all of us to translate our summit resolutions into concrete, actionable steps. Together, we will achieve our shared vision of "One Market, One Future." My profound thanks go to the COMESA Secretariat, our local organizing teams, and everyone who worked tirelessly behind the scenes to host a flawless event at our New Parliament Building. Let us move forward with shared determination.